This is a story about a gorilla named Ivan who lives in a mall as a spectacle for shoppers. Mack, his trainer, runs a little show with Stella the elephant and other animals. Ivan lives in a glass cage with a runaway dog named Bob. Because Ivan has a knack for drawing, Mack sells Ivan's paintings in the gift shop. Life for Ivan grow more stable as people were becoming less interested in the animals. The highlight of his day is when the janitor, George, and his daughter, Julia, stop by and Ivan watches Julia draw. One day, a new baby elephant named Ruby is added to the group. Stella nurtures her and helps her transition to show business. However,Stella's leg is infected and death looks eminent. Before Stella dies, Ivan promises to save Ruby. Saddened by the death of Stella, Ruby refuses to obey Mack, but eventually gives in and becomes the star attraction. Meanwhile, Ivan starts to paint. He creates a large poster with the word "HOME" on it. With the help of George and Julia, the public and media become aware of Ivan and Ruby and both animals are taken away to a zoo with others of their own kind. At first Ivan is nervous because he hasn't interacted with other gorillas in such a long time. In the end, Ivan and Ruby are happy in their new home and Julia visits the zoo.
One of the most interesting aspects of this story is how the story is told. Readers must read through the perspective of Ivan, a gorilla.Normally, it would be difficult to see the world through the eyes of another species,but because Ivan has a good understanding of the human world and is continuing to learn about this world, readers are taken on a journey of discovery. Concepts that are simple for readers to understand are sometimes more difficult for Ivan. But in this lack of understanding, readers can see how strange some of our human attitudes and behaviors actually are to outsiders. And because the story is from the perspective of Ivan, readers come to understand the definition of freedom according to an animal. What makes Ivan's definition of freedom unique is that he was taken from his family in the wild.So while most domesticated animals are born and bred in a more controlled environment,never really knowing true nature and freedom, Ivan remembers and has access to this knowledge,and this allows his freedom to be a running back towards something that was taken away from him, rather than an experience that he never had. The story also highlights the power of art and creativity and how simple drawings can act as bridges of communication. In the story,art is used as a means of communication between a gorilla and humans, but this concept can apply to today's international relations since the world is becoming more globally connected,requiring more cross-cultural interaction.
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